The Spontaneous, Organic, Informal Homeschool Co-op (That You Need)

by Mona Koerner

Making Plasma from Elementary Pre-Level Chemistry Science 4 Kids

​Not all homeschool co-ops are large, public groups that meet in a church and charge an annual fee. Many homeschool co-ops are small, private, informal groups of parents who get together to cooperate in teaching their children.  You only need one or two other moms to form a great co-op that will serve your homeschool well. 

Exploring Light from Pre-level Physics

​As my daughter entered second grade, I signed her up for the Rio Rancho Homeschool Swim Team, which turned out to be the best thing I ever did for our homeschool for several reasons, not the least of which, was that we met other homeschooling families.  At the end of the semester one of the moms invited a few of us to her house to decorate Christmas cookies.

​While the kids were happily spreading sugar and sprinkles all around, we discussed... 'homeschooling'.  Our host got out a science workbook and was lamenting that her kids really wanted to do the 'fun science curriculum' but they never could quite find time after doing the 'required' curriculum.  Well why is that?  Why shouldn't we make time for the 'fun' science?  Then and there we all committed to make time for 'fun science' - together.

Bringing in the Dad Expert for Electricity

Snack time was always a good time for a round of Headbanz

​That spring we met for a couple hours every other week for 'fun science.'  We used Elementary Chemistry curriculum from Real Science 4 Kids by Rebecca W. Keller, Ph.D. a local UNM Professor.  We took turns hosting, teaching or bringing snack.  Each mom either had to clean her house, prep for the lesson OR make a snack, but never more than one each time we met.  

---

​In the fall, we went on a 'planning retreat'.  Four of us drove to Durango and spent the weekend in a condo at Purgatory. We cooked for each other, got to know one another better, went on hikes, rode the Alpine Slide, played games, renewed our spirits, prayed and planned more activities - thus began the "Fabulous Friends Enrichment Club" (FFEC).  

Chemistry Connects to the Arts

​Our format was to meet every other week for four hours.  We rotated houses, teaching responsibilities, and snack.  Our meetings always included 'fun science', presentations, games, snack, some other activity and playtime.    We had five moms, and six kids.  Each student was required to present once a month.  Presentations were either like show and tell, academic presentations, or artistic performances of music, dancing, drama or poetry recitation. 

Exploring the color wheel

​We had little in common: some great kids who got along really well and many differences: our students were four years apart in age, in three different grades.  We all used different curriculums and had different approaches to homeschooling and different priorities.  We each came from a different religious background or denominational affiliation.  We even lived almost 30 minutes apart.  However, the commitment we made to carve out time to engage with others benefited our over all homeschool in terms of encouragement, support, vision and balance.

---

​The wonderful thing about a small, private co-op is that it is flexible and fluid.  It can grow and change as the kids grow and change.  Being small meant we each had a say in what we did and the types of activities we undertook. It also meant there was something for us moms as well - friendship, fellowship, support and fun.  We watched our kids blossom as they studied together, respected each other, accepted each other's differences, learned to be a good audience, gained confidence, created together, had fun and loved each other.  It was everything you could want in a learning environment.  

Learning Tin Punch

Tea Party

​Over the course of the next three years, we completed the Real Science 4 Kids Physics, Kogs 4 Kids Chemistry Connects to the Arts, Biology, and Middle School Geology.  We played strategy games and games to reinforce basic skills. One semester we hired a college student to teach art.  One semester we hired a sewing teacher to teach sewing and the kids all made their own pajamas.  One semester we did a unit on cooking, which culminated in little chefs planning, preparing and delivering a three-course meal to celebrate the moms' birthdays.  We added other things like NM History and spelling.  We dissected a starfish, several fish and a couple of frogs.  When they had free time the kids were often out in the backyard playing a game they had made up themselves. 

We held a formal tea party.  We went to Popejoy Schooltime Series performances together.  We had lots of parties.  We celebrated holidays together: exchanging Valentines and decorating cookies, dressing up and trick-or treating.  Christmas included a gift exchange and a Christmas Concert performed by our students.  One year we had a pre-holiday Thanksgiving Dinner to revival the best of Thanksgivings.  We had Turkey and all the trimmings and the conversation was better than any Thanksgiving with the in-laws.

Not So Trivial Review Game with Math, Science, History, Spelling, Literature, Geology

Cooking

In our fifth year, we decided to compete as a robotics team in the First Lego League Robotics Competition.  This stretched our kids as they learned to divide their labor and had to rely on their individual strengths to become a team.  They had to work through disagreements and solve problems together.  They refined and perfected their presentation skills.  They won the regional qualifying competition that first year and took home a project trophy from the state competition.  We saw them grow in incredible ways.

FFEC Programming Wizards at the First Lego League Robotics Qualifying Competition

​Although competing as a robotics team was a fabulous experience it required significantly more of a time commitment than our co-op had and my daughter regretted that it felt more like work than our 'fun science'.  So we quit the group after that.  However, they went on to finish 2nd and then 1st in the state robotics competition in subsequent years earning trips to Lego Land and the World Competition in Houston.  The foundation for their success had been laid by our co-op.

​We will always treasure our time in FFEC as some of the greatest memories of our early homeschooling years.  It was a huge blessing to us.  And it all started because one mom invited us over to decorate cookies....

Mona Koerner

Mona Koerner educates her 8th grade daughter at home.  In the early years of homeschooling, she also worked part-time as a policy consultant. Currently she teaches a Bible Reading class to teen girls, High School Economics, and helps coach a Kickball class.  She has also taught Middle School Personal Finance.  She holds a Masters of Business Administration and PhD in Political Economy.  She is one of the founders and the Executive Director of Parent Led Academic Network Team, Inc.